Along the quiet canals branching from the Nile River in Egypt, thick clusters of water hyacinth drift across the surface. But for a group of Egyptian women, the plant is beginning to tell a different story. “I used to see water hyacinth in the canals when I passed by, but I never imagined I would hold it in my hands and turn it into something useful. It just takes patience and practice.”So far, participants have attended introductory training sessions that offered their first glimpse into how water hyacinth can be turned into handcrafted products. For them, water hyacinth is no longer just a plant floating in the canals.

Source: Daily News Egypt March 16, 2026 18:00 UTC